


Professor Hotchner

by Fabrisse



Category: Criminal Minds, Wiseguy
Genre: Case Fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-08-29
Updated: 2010-08-29
Packaged: 2017-10-11 08:31:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/110418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fabrisse/pseuds/Fabrisse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><b>Community:</b><br/><b>Prompt:</b>  #26 -- Hotch goes undercover, things don't go smooth. Reid's determined to figure things out as quickly as possible, worried about Hotch when the unsub picks up his activities.<br/><b>Prompted by:</b> enmuse in the LJ community CM Casefiles</p>
            </blockquote>





	Professor Hotchner

**Author's Note:**

> As far as I know, there's no town named Sulphuretta Springs in West Virginia, no university named for Richard Henry Lee in Virginia (though there totally should be), and McPike should have retired in the mid-nineties.
> 
> All mistakes are mine.
> 
> Descriptions of rape and murder.

The others were already in the conference room when JJ arrived, fire in her eyes. She looked first at Hotch, who said, "I didn't call the meeting."

JJ's expression softened as she said, "But you know what it's about?"

"Yes." He looked around the table and said, "We're waiting for…"

"Me. I'm sorry I'm late, everyone." Erin Strauss entered the room at a fast clip. "The BAU has been asked by the US Attorney General's Office to take on a somewhat unusual case. Three weeks ago the Virginia Attorney General asked the Department of Justice for help with a series of crimes on the campus of Richard Henry Lee University."

Reid cocked his head, and Prentiss straightened at her words. When they recognized each other's reaction, they glanced at each other and turned, united, to Strauss.

The AD nodded. "I asked Agent Jareau to give each of you a case and put it at the top of your priority lists. Agent Prentiss was given a series of rapes that began two years ago in September and stopped approximately fifteen months later. Agent Prentiss, why don't you apprise your team?"

"As Director Strauss said, the case I was given involved a series of rapes. The unsub committed them approximately three weeks apart with time off for the school holidays. Over the fifteen months, he became more organized not less. He always wore a mask; one of the women described it as a silk ski mask, and sunglasses although the incidents occurred at night." Prentiss leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes, mentally referring to her notes. "His preferred victim is a graduate student, although one woman was an undergraduate and another was a recently hired adjunct professor. The attack was a blitz, but, by the time I was told the rapes stopped, he was taking more time with them, sometimes all night. He seemed to have no preference for weapon, but he made a distinction between the victims. He asked all of them if they were virgins. Those that said yes were raped without a condom and he made some effort to… for lack of a better term… be a lover. The ones who weren't had facial bruising, were sodomized both orally and anally, and the rape was performed while wearing a condom. He's white. There's been no recoverable DNA sample, and his fingerprint -- the only one we have -- isn't in any database."

Reid nodded over the notes he was making. "When did they stop?"

"The second victim who came forward was the last in the series of rapes. Every woman on the campus was sent an email and the response gave us the other victims. That was in February of this year."

Strauss said, "Thank you, Agent Prentiss. Doctor Reid was given a group of murders."

Reid looked at the group. "They began in March. Three bodies were discovered in late May as a group burial off campus. The differing rates of decomposition indicated they'd been killed about four weeks apart. There was evidence of restraint and long-term torture, including rape. The women had all been taken from the Richard Henry Lee campus and were reported missing to the local sheriff's office by the university administration."

At a nod from the director, Hotch took over. "Both of you gave clear, virtually identical, profiles. The new semester starts in January. Two more bodies, which do not seem to have been revisited, were found just after the students left for their break last week. Whether this unsub is a student, a teacher, or a townsperson, he only operates during the school year."

"Therefore, the Attorney General has requested that we send someone undercover on the campus," Strauss said.

Reid raised his hand. "I'm the logical choice whether you need a student or a professor."

Strauss exchanged a look with Rossi and Hotch before saying, "On any other campus, or if we had more than a week to prepare you, you might be the logical choice. However, this is one of the most conservative campuses in the country, as you pointed out in your profile. Your hair and wardrobe would be an issue. I'm also not certain you could pass as a conservative in the way you view the world -- not without some training." She took a breath. "Before the rest of you try to volunteer, the decision has already been made. Agent Morgan, we'd like you to step up as acting unit chief again while Agent Hotchner is undercover."

"Undercover?" Prentiss straightened so quickly, Strauss thought she heard her neck snap. "Ma'am, R H Lee University may be conservative, but I have no doubt the majority of the students read The Washington Post. Hotch won't exactly be an unknown quantity to them."

Strauss nodded, noting the way the entire team seemed to get closer to their unit chief even though none had moved from her seat. "We're counting on that. When security at R H Lee approached us through the local Sheriff's department, they suggested having someone come on to the faculty who could fill in for a law professor on sabbatical. Since we'd already decided Agent Reid wouldn't be a good fit as a student, it meant either Agent Hotchner or Agent Morgan would get the campus assignment."

"And I'm black." Morgan gave a smile that had no hint of amusement in it.

"I won't pretend that didn't influence the decision, due to the composition of the campus population. Two other factors weighed more heavily. The professor who moved his sabbatical from September to January taught the rules of evidence for criminal proceedings and runs the moot courts. As a former prosecutor, Agent Hotchner was a logical choice. Agent Hotchner is also Southern, and would be more likely to fit into the campus social groupings quickly based on his background." Strauss gave a wry smile. "Don't worry. We don't think Duke is a better law school than Northwestern."

"Copy that, ma'am." Morgan nodded a sharp acknowledgement.

"Hotch's main lifeline will be Ms Garcia. He'll have a daily call to her. Agent Morgan, while you're acting unit chief, the team will be short handed. Agent Reid, your doctors have cleared you for light duty, but you're not fully field rated yet. For that reason, I have decided to have you remain at the BAU. You can consult with the team by phone or computer while they're in the field, but your primary role will be as Agent Hotchner's handler. If the team needs Ms Garcia, you may also end up as his technical analyst. The two of you will report tomorrow morning to the BSU's undercover training unit. I've asked a former field handler to help you prepare for the assignment. Are there any questions?"

No one spoke up.

"In that case, I'd like Agents Hotchner, Morgan, and Rossi to prepare for the reporting and paperwork transfer. Ms Garcia, I'll send you a memo, copied to Agents Hotchner and Morgan, outlining your duties on the case and the conditions under which you'll relinquish them."

Garcia stood, said, "Yes, ma'am," and left the room in a hurry.

Strauss continued, "Agent Reid, I'd like you to discuss how to handle your consultation load with Agent Jareau. Agent Prentiss, I'd like to talk with you for a few minutes before I ask you to share your profile and full information on the earlier part of the case with Agent Reid."

"Yes, ma'am."

They waited for the others to file out.

"Emily, I did not consider you for the undercover assignment."

"I don't have a JD. If the professor on sabbatical had specialized in languages, I'm sure you'd have me preparing lesson plans right now."

"You're right. And if they'd needed a mathematician, I'd have asked Agent Reid, in spite of his mode of dress and current injury."

Prentiss debated whether to ask the next question, but, as always with her, curiosity outweighed diplomacy. "And did you consider me for Hotch's handler?"

"I did. I chose Agent Reid for two reasons, the first you've heard. It's logical to keep him here when his field contributions are limited to things he can do at a police station. I'm sure overheard conversations have probably led to insights on his part that will be missed, but there are things you can do in the field that he still can't thanks to his injury. The second is more complicated."

"Political, ma'am?"

Strauss gave her a small smile. "Not in the way you may think. After Foyet's attack, it was noticed that you became very protective of Agent Hotchner. Since his wife's murder, some of the more overt displays of protectiveness have gone away, but, honestly, there's gossip about the two of you. For the record, I don't believe it. But as a woman who's had to face those accusations myself, I know there's little that can be done. They flared and died down quickly. I don't think most people who heard it credited it, but if I'd put you as his handler, people might have felt there was substance to the rumor."

"Damn. How will these rumors affect Hotch?"

The Director shook her head. "I have to admire your team's loyalty. It won't. I'm not sure it would under any circumstances. People tend to assume it's the woman's 'fault' -- as if love or passion is detrimental -- and with the stresses he's had? No, you'd have been the one whose career was damaged. I know I've given you no reason to trust me, but, if the rumors did or do have any substance, you could tell me. I can only protect you if I know."

Prentiss assessed her. "Ma'am, I don't think you're the same person who brought me in to undermine my team three years ago, but you're right, I can't be certain enough to trust you."

Strauss nodded in acceptance. "Then all I can say is, 'if it is true, be careful.' And if you change your mind…"

"Yes, ma'am." Prentiss held out her hand. Strauss shook it.

"I'll go give Reid all the help I can." She stopped at the door and turned back. "Thank you for sharing your reasoning with me, and for telling me."

"You're welcome, Emily."

***

The following morning, Hotch and Reid met at the Academy cafeteria. They were having coffee when a short man with round glasses came up to them.

"I'm Frank McPike, and I'm supposed to be training you two on undercover work." He looked between them, and turned to Hotch. "I'll assume you're the one who's going to play professor."

Hotch offered his hand. "Aaron Hotchner. Please call me Hotch."

McPike took it and sat down. "That means you're Reid. I've read enough of your file to know I could paper my bathroom with your degrees, but I am not happy to have some kid who doesn't look like he's finished puberty in charge of an undercover agent."

"Doctor Reid is nearly thirty. He has saved my life directly at least twice and indirectly more times than I can count." Hotch's voice was cold.

McPike leaned back in his chair and smiled. "Good. It's easier if you're watching his back, too." McPike took a sip of coffee. "They've given me a week to train you for an assignment that's mostly overt. We're not pretending you were never with the Bureau, Hotch. We'll use your recent problems as an excuse. You accepted the early retirement the Bureau offered and now you're beginning a new career in academia. Doctor Reid, you've profiled the campus, should he be upset with the Bureau for pushing him out or a staunch supporter?"

"Staunch supporter outwardly. Agent Prentiss and I are putting together better profiles relevant to this case, including a profile of the law school. It may turn out that there are circumstances or people who should be convinced that Hotch isn't happy with his departure from the Bureau."

"So that's a 'maybe'?" McPike said.

"Yes."

"What do you think will be your biggest problem as a handler?"

"Keeping the appropriate distance. I'm rarely impulsive -- "

That got a snort from Hotch who gestured for him to continue.

Reid's mouth turned up a little. "I want to make certain Hotch is safe. Considering the placement of the campus, I assume he'll be living with Jack in temporary housing, and I know that means I need to account for Jack in every contact with Hotch, because his first loyalty, rightly, is to his son."

McPike pursed his lips. "The good news is distance is a fairytale that handlers tell their Regional Directors. Accounting for family on an undercover operation is a huge responsibility." He put down his cup. "For today, I want each of you to pick out three or four cases that you think I should know about. Reid, you're picking cases that show Hotch's knowledge of law, plus I want a list of potential personality issues you think he might have with either you as his handler or with the assignment. Hotch, you select cases that show me Reid can get the job done, and one case where you think there was a problem with him. Don't discuss them with each other. Have them to me by two pm and then go home. In my book, if you go home together and talk about this operation, it's a good thing."

All three men stood.

McPike said, "I've given you assignments. Get going and meet me here tomorrow at the same time." He stalked off.

Hotch turned to Reid. "If I'm leaving early today, I'm going to aim for noon, so I can take Jack to the zoo and tell him his routine's going to change soon. You're welcome to join us."

"I'll see you at noon."

***  
That evening Reid got a call from McPike who said, "I don't get down to DC much, and, frankly, I hate being stuck at Quantico. Pick a public place for us to meet and we'll do some sightseeing tomorrow."

"National Portrait Gallery? It's by the Chinatown stop." Reid threw out the first thing he could think of.

"Sounds good. My internet tells me it opens at eleven, so I'll meet you there when it opens. I'd love to sleep late."

"G Street side?"

"Sure.

***  
When Reid got there the next morning, McPike was sitting on the steps drinking McDonald's coffee.

"Do you know why I suggested this?"

Reid looked at the other man, weighing his possible motives. "I think you wanted to be certain we weren't overheard. You wanted to ask me things that you don't want to be on the official reports."

"Maybe you are as smart as they say." He took the last swig. "This place should be quiet enough. If not, we can walk to the Mall."

"May I ask a question?"

"Go ahead. I won't guarantee an answer."

They went in to the building and walked up to the second floor.

Before Reid could start, McPike said, "You didn't pick the Reaper case as one of the key ones for Hotch."

"You asked for law related cases and you limited it to four."

"And everyone and his brother could read about it in lurid detail in The Washington Post."

Reid nodded.

They wandered into a room with a large Duncan Fyfe table and several Federalist paintings, mostly still lifes. McPike examined one of a picnic including a glass of champagne. Without looking at Reid, he asked, "What's your vice?"

He glanced around the empty room and looked at Reid sidelong. "And I don't mean your little opiate habit."

Reid's eyes snapped to his. "Hotch didn't tell you that."

McPike looked impressed. "No, he didn't. I'll tell you. My vice is anger. I've hit all of the seven deadlies at some point in my illustrious career, but the only one that ever caused me problems on a case was anger. I've learned to control it. Use it when I need to. And I love the little moments when I can inform a scumbag that he'll get an hour of fresh air every day for the rest of his life."

"Gideon always said our greatest strength as profilers was empathy. And I'm usually good about keeping detached from the unsub, but we've had cases where the unsub wasn't the worst person in the case. I'll give you even odds that Hotch picked out the Owen Savage file as my negative one."

"He did. He was right -- walking between your team and the unsub without a weapon of your own was stupid. Brave, and apparently absolutely the right thing to do in that case, but it was bone stupid."

Reid's brow furrowed as he thought. "Why?"

"No one wants to think about killing a teammate. I've been there. It's not pretty, and it's not pleasant. You put your life on the line for some kid who'd already murdered a dozen people."

"I know. And I'll be honest, I'd do it again to prevent having to be the one to pull the trigger on a 'suicide by cop.'" They walked a little further down the corridor toward a cast of Grief by Saint Gaudens. Reid continued, "It's not extenuating circumstances, but I'd seen a teenager killed in front of me just two weeks earlier. He was the unsub, and he'd already raped and killed someone. I didn't sympathize with him at all, but I watched a man shoot him in cold blood -- and I couldn't watch another kid die."

McPike nodded, more to himself than Reid. "Been there. I admit I'm more than a little surprised that the AD didn't put you undercover. According to the cases Hotch selected for you, you have a nearly overwhelming ability to talk people down. Two of the others he selected concentrated on that."

"Professor Ted Bryer and who else?"

"Chester Hardwicke. He also selected the two cases where you've been forced to kill someone."

Reid shook his head. "I hope I've had some more recent successes."

That wry smile of McPike's popped up again. "He was telling me to back off of you by including those. I'm older than Rossi. Hell, mention my name and he'll probably remember my recommending him for that new unit at Quantico when I was a junior G-man. I've no doubt that Hotch is worried I'll think you're weak -- especially with the limp at the moment." He sighed. "I learned a long time ago that the tough guys can break and the wimps -- and I'm including myself in that -- can be a lot stronger than anyone would believe. I had to pull in a few favors to get all the details of that case in Atlanta where you were held hostage. I don't have any worries about your resilience or your ability to do what is needed to keep your boy safe."

"I can just see me referring to Hotch as a 'boy.' He'll glare at me, and I'll go up in smoke."

"The Agency has been known to use the term 'joe' if you prefer, but never identify him by name in a conversation outside of Quantico. Talking to me or to anyone, you're his handler. He's your boy. I know I won't have to tell you twice."

"No. You won't."

"Now let's figure out how we can make you the most effective handler possible."

***  
By the weekend, Reid was helping Hotch and Jack move into campus housing.

Hotch had spent a morning "sightseeing" with McPike and the balance of the week had involved setting up codes, defining the limits of Hotch's open cover, and coming up with ways to profile as many of the students as possible.

It was hoped the BAU team would be able to meet a large proportion of the relatively small campus.

While they were having pizza at the new place, Doctor Jones, the chancellor of the university, had come to greet Hotch and thank him for filling in while Doctor O'Neill was on sabbatical. Hotch invited him in for a beer and introduced him to Reid.

***

Monday's briefing seemed odd without Hotch. Morgan and JJ took them through the open cases and let them know there was a case which might turn out to be one of theirs when some more details came in. Before it closed, Morgan asked Reid to go over anything he needed for his and Hotch's case.

"Over the next couple of weeks, you'll all be invited to the Richard Henry Lee campus in some capacity. I spoke to the Chancellor, and there are several students who are interested in the Bureau as a career. JJ, your invitation…"

"Already arrived. From the Graduate School of Journalism. Apparently, they want me to come in and talk to a couple of seminars about the role of press secretaries within government and journalistic ethics around crime scenes." She grinned at Reid. "I take it I'm to report back if someone jumps out as a suspect."

"Please. And see if you can meet the faculty and talk to them about students who might fit the profile." He shrugged and looked at his teammates. "I know cases may take you away, but if you can get to the campus and meet a segment of students that Hotch won't, it will help. Garcia and I are trying every statistical angle we can think of that doesn't violate the students' privacy rights. And the Chancellor didn't mind the idea that we might blur a few boundaries," he raised a hand placatingly, "Not that I would, Morgan, but he's more concerned about the crimes and the community than about the individual students."

Rossi turned to him. "My publisher wants me to hold a small event to celebrate my new book. They asked for options."

"Suggest the campus bookstore. You'll get a few from the surrounding community, but most of the people attending will be campus affiliated."

"If I see Hotch, should I embrace him like a long-lost brother or give him the cut direct?" Rossi raised an eyebrow.

"Just let him know which way you're planning to play it." Reid looked at Prentiss. "Emily, if you don't get an invitation to discuss options for Arabic and maybe one of your other languages at the language school, let me know. I'm surprised yours didn't come before JJ's."

"And me?" Morgan asked.

"One of the graduate seminars in the psychology department this year is on obsession. I pointed out to the Chancellor that as an expert in obsessional crimes, you'd be a perfect guest speaker. Hotch may also ask you, well all of us, to help out at the moot courts he's running. That will only be if we decide the unsub is affiliated with the law school and not one of the other grad schools."

"Will you be lecturing in mathematics, chemistry, engineering, or psychology?" Prentiss said.

"None of the above. I'm going to show up regularly as Hotch's friend from the Bureau. I'm slated to be deposed as an expert witness in a week or two for one of his evidence classes, and then I'll be giving testimony a couple of weeks later in the criminal moot court."

Morgan dismissed them with, "And in the meantime, we have to hope we find this guy before he kills again."

***  
Hotch's daily calls were like clockwork. At four pm, he called Garcia and asked her a trivia question. Once she'd either answered or been stumped -- and stumped was rare -- she'd transfer his call out to Reid and they'd review plans for a few minutes.

On the weekends, he dropped them both an email from his Gmail account at the same time.

Emily's discussion with the language school had actually predated JJ's trip to talk to the journalism school. She'd been the guest at three different classes: Italian, Russian, and Arabic and discussed various non-CIA or military jobs available through the government. The Bureau was her number one sell, of course, but she also answered questions about her life as a diplomat's child and discussed how useful languages could be at the Departments of Labor, Commerce, and Health and Human Services.

When she talked to Reid about it later, over an after work drink, she said, "When I mentioned Health and Human Services, you'd have thought I suggested working as a stripper, until I pointed out that the CDC came under their rubric."

"Anyone jump up and say, 'I like to kill people' in Italian?" Reid's smile was sympathetic.

She sighed. "I'd say about half of them are having their bills paid by the military, the CIA, or the NSA. The rest are predominantly interested in government work and none of them struck me as having enough personality to have a personality disorder."

Reid laughed gently. "You were a rebel, and you don't understand how people can be conformist."

Emily gave a wry smile. "I get it. My rebellions were like everyone else's rebellions in my generation. I was a Goth chick. If I'd _really_ been a non-conformist, I'd have gone back to the US and worked the land or something -- not just played Siouxsie and the Banshees at top volume."

He patted her hand. "Conformity was never an option for me."

***  
JJ waved at the students as they left the cafeteria and asked the professor if it was all right to make a quick phone call. She gave Professor Mercer a sweet smile as she asked and was told the best place to get good reception on her cell.

"Reid, I thought you told me the Chancellor was reporting any disappearances to you?"

"Hello to you, too. He promised he would. I take it you have reason to doubt him?"

"The group I just had lunch with were talking about a guy named Ed Robson. He was top of the class last semester, and Professor Mercer said he was ahead of his deadlines for his thesis. Robson returned after the break, but hasn't attended a class or a study session in over two weeks."

Reid let out a breath. "Dammit. Do you know what Ed's short for?"

"No, but I'll find out if I can."

"Don't bother, JJ. As soon as I hang up with you, I'm going to call Doctor Jones. Thank you for picking up on this."

"Yeah. I hope he's just a case of burnout or has a virus that's kept him out of class." She grimaced at the phone.

"I hope so, too." Reid hung up.

His call with the Chancellor did not go well. Doctor Jones was dismissive; pointing out that all the other victims had been women.

Three days later, he called Reid personally to apologize. Edwin Robson's body had been found.

***  
Reid's wool coat stood out in the woods. Everyone else, even Doctor Jones, was in hunting gear, and Reid with his walking stick and leather shoes was an obvious outsider. It was the first time he was seeing one of the bodies _in situ_. It had obviously been revisited.

"Has the scene been fully photographed?" Reid asked one of the techs. When he said yes, Reid nodded his thanks.

He knelt down to examine the face more closely. The winter hadn't been unusually cold, but there was more snow than usual, and the skin had frozen in patches. He couldn't see any pattern to it.

The forensics worker turned to him and said, "I think we have a good shot at a viable DNA sample from around the mouth."

Reid nodded at her and said, "Thank you. Were you brought in for this case or as part of the continuing investigation?"

"This case. I take it there's a sample I should compare it to?"

"Samples. Yes." He handed her his card. "Run it through AFIS first. I don't want to risk making an assumption."

"Of course, Agent Reid." She read his name off the card and gave him a brief smile before returning to her duties.

He smiled back at her and then went down to see the Chancellor.

"Doctor Reid, is this part of the same series?"

"Until forensics runs the DNA, I can't be certain, but from the placement of the body, the evidence of torture and rape, and the fact that the body's been revisited, I think it's a working theory."

Jones looked stricken. "I don't think anyone else is missing from campus. We had several students who just didn't return after the break, but, as far as I know, Robson was the only one who came back and went missing."

"I have to talk to Hotch. I know you've been wanting this kept quiet, but I think announcements should be made. No one walks alone on campus. He's moved up to a higher risk group, so he's becoming more confident and needs a bigger rush."

"Does that mean he'll strike sooner?" Jones asked.

Reid looked thoughtful. "Until I see the full forensics report, I won't even speculate about how this changes his profile. If he's been methodical with his victim, the high could last him as long or longer than when he was a rapist. But we're taking away his way of keeping the thrill alive by sending the body to autopsy, so he may have the urge to do it again more quickly. He's still centering on graduate students."

"I'll talk to the board about closing down the campus."

"In the meantime, can you run shuttle buses between the buildings after dark? If there are large groups together, he won't have easy targets."

Jones sighed. "If we want the university to continue, we'll find the money for shuttles somewhere."

***  
The mock depositions Reid had given the week before had given him a chance to analyze a good portion of the law school.

Today, he was testifying as an expert in the crime he and Hotch had put together for the criminal moot court. They'd discussed various aspects and Reid fully expected to be grilled by the students.

The oath before the stand had been modified -- there was no crime, so there was no 'truth' -- but Hotch wanted everyone watching, serving, or testifying to have the experience.

Reid made his first tactical decision when he affirmed rather than swore. He saw Hotch's lips twitch and knew he'd made the right call.

The prosecution, and there were three serving on the panel, asked him several questions about the putative pathology of the crimes and the profile that had led to the defendant. The only question Reid hadn't been expecting came late in the game, "Doctor Reid, you plan to testify for the defense in the sentencing phase, I believe?"

Reid glanced at Hotch, who nodded. "Yes. If the defendant is found guilty, I will submit recommendations for sentencing and testify if the defense wishes."

"You've done it before, in other trials?"

"Yes."

"But you have no doubt that the man on trial here is the one who committed the crime?"

"From the evidence and the profile, none at all."

"Then why interfere with the sentencing phase?"

Reid took a deep breath. "Statistically, the death penalty does more harm than good. Violent crime rates go up in areas with a death penalty not down. More importantly, these people need to be studied so that we can diagnose the problems before crimes are committed, or, failing that, be able to catch them more quickly. Killing them interferes with studying their motives."

"Thank you, Doctor Reid."

The defense attorney stood before Hotch admonished him to sit back down. His first question was predictable. "You didn't swear before almighty God when you took the stand."

"I affirmed."

"Are you a Quaker?"

"No."

"Are there any other religions that refuse to take the perfectly reasonable oath in court?"

"Several, Buddhists often prefer to affirm, for example."

"But you're not Buddhist, are you Doctor Reid?"

"No, I'm not."

"Yet you refuse to say what you are."

"I haven't been asked that question. You asked me if I was Quaker and if there were other religions that refused the oath."

There were titters from the students observing, and Hotch prodded the prosecutor into an objection for relevance.

The judge overruled it, which surprised Reid a bit, it hadn't happened to him in a real court room yet, but he waited for the defense to ask.

"Do you believe in God, Doctor Reid?"

"No. I'm an atheist."

"Then how can we trust a word you say?"

"I'm an honest man who has affirmed my truthfulness. Beyond that, the penalties for perjury still apply no matter which way testimony is given." Reid noted the people at the defense table whispering back and forth and passing notes.

It took them awhile to decide to move on. Rather than attacking his testimony, they kept the attack personal.

"Are you a homosexual, Doctor Reid?"

Hotch practically had to thump the prosecutor's back to get the student to object. "Objection. Doctor Reid's sexual orientation is irrelevant to his testimony."

The young woman playing the judge turned to the defense counsel and said, "Is this going anywhere?"

"We think it speaks to the prosecution's entire case. An atheist homosexual cannot be trusted, and we want the jury to know that."

"Objection sustained. You may not pursue that line of inquiry."

The rest of the testimony was uneventful. However, Reid showed up the next day for the review of the case. He sat in the back as Hotch lectured and gave specific notes to both sides. His favorite was the final note.

Hotch said, "Neither side did well with the expert witness. Defense, you could have attacked profiling. It's been done before and, much to my dismay, has swayed juries in favor of the defense. Prosecution, you should have objected and continued to object when the first personal attack was made on Doctor Reid."

"But Doctor Hotchner, I was disturbed by the fact that Doctor Reid didn't take the oath, and, frankly, the boy does look a little light in the loafers. I mean has he ever shot his gun other than on the firing range?" The lead prosecutor said.

Hotch glanced to where Reid was sitting.

Reid spoke up. "I am an atheist. I'm sorry it disturbs you. Boy? Well, I'm nearly thirty so I'm probably older than you are. My sex life is my own business, but Hotch worked with me for six years and never had a problem with my professionalism, so you can assume I don't bring my business into the office… or the courtroom."

Several of the students seemed taken aback as Reid spoke and walked to the front of the room.

One of the students who'd been working the defense side said, "I notice you still didn't mention whether you've ever really used your weapon. I'm sure we all know what to infer from that. And if you don't believe in God, you don't believe in truth. It's that simple. We have the right, the duty even, to let the jury know that you don't hold yourself to the same high standards as a Christian."

Hotch shot the young man a look. "In the courtroom, Carter, the highest duty we have is to the _law_ as defined by the Constitution. The religion, or lack of religion, of your opponents should never influence how you handle a case. Even here in Virginia, if you work in the Washington Metro counties, you're going to find atheists and non-Christian believers who will be so upset by your tactics that they won't pay attention to your evidence. If you keep to the law, to the rules of evidence, you'll at least know, if you lose a case, that you did everything correctly -- that the flaw was not in your presentation of the case to the jury."

Later, Reid joined Hotch and Jack for dinner and after Jack went to bed they discussed Hotch's files on the killer they were pursuing. There were another twenty in the unlikely pile and five more in the definitely not. The likely stack was still too large.

"He's going to strike again soon," Hotch said.

"We took the body away from him. Unless he has an old one he's revisiting that we don't know about, yes, I think we're going to lose someone again." Reid looked a decade older at that thought. "If the unsub knows I'm actually consulting on the case, they might come after me or you."

"Well, I could always admit to being Jewish."

Reid glanced at him. "Are you?"

"My grandfather came to this country and married a shiksa, so no. I was reared Episcopal, but in high school I realized that I would have been considered a Jew in Nazi Germany. It gave me a perspective."

"I'll bet it did. Mine's a couple of generations farther back, but the reason Franz Reid left Germany was that he'd married a Jewish girl and shamed his family. I've read some of the old letters. I don't know why Dad left them behind when he went, but Mom used them to help me learn to read German." He looked at the files. "Back to the case."

Hotch smiled at him. "Back to the case."

***  
The team was in Indianapolis working on a potential domestic terrorism case when Garcia emailed Reid.

"It's 4:30. I haven't heard from Hotch."

Reid stared at the screen for a moment, then picked up his phone.

McPike picked it up on the second ring. "What do you need?"

"How quickly can you get down to Quantico?"

"About an hour. I'm in DC finishing up my retirement paperwork."

"Does that mean you're no longer active service?" Reid asked.

"No, it means in three months, I'll no longer be active. Today, I can be anything you need."

Reid said, "My boy may be in trouble. If you get here, and he's called in, I'll take you out to dinner."

McPike's dry humor came through the line. "And if he hasn't, I get another dry cheese sandwich and day old coffee."

"The coffee's fresh. Get here as soon as you can."

At five o'clock, he went in to Garcia's office. "Call Jack's daycare and ask if Hotch picked Jack up, please."

When she hung up, she said, "I wasn't the first person to call and ask about Jack today, but he's still there. Mrs. Panera said Hotch usually gets him around six."

"Hotch put you and Kevin on the list for Jack, right?"

"Yes. Do you need me to go get him?"

Reid shook his head. "Call Kevin. Tell him to submit a leave slip for the rest of the day, if it's not already his quitting time. He may need to take tomorrow as well. You're here with me to coordinate. Besides, Morgan may need you for their case."

"Of course." Garcia turned to her console and made the call.

Reid used his cell to call Will. "Can you take Jack? It will at least be tonight along with a body guard and possibly Kevin and Garcia."

"Something's happened to Hotch?"

"We don't know yet."

Will's voice was reassuring. "I'll start making the macaroni and cheese Jack likes for dinner. If you and Hotch come along to share it, there'll be plenty."

"I appreciate it, Will. I need to be able to tell Hotch that Jack is safe."

"I understand. Good luck figuring things out. I take it I shouldn't mention it to JJ?"

"No, we'll cover that." Reid hung up as Kevin came in. "I need you to pick up Jack Hotchner from daycare and take him to Will and JJ's."

"Sure." Kevin looked back and forth between Garcia and Reid. "Bad case?"

Garcia took his hand. "I hope not."

Reid leaned his head out of her office and called, "Anderson."

The other agent walked right over. "Reid."

"Anderson, I need you to sign out a Bureau vehicle and take Kevin here," Reid wrote an address, "to pick up Jack Hotchner from daycare. From there, you'll take him to JJ's house and you will stay with him until you see me, Hotch, or a member of my team."

Anderson looked at him. "What if it takes until tomorrow?"

"Take your go-bag with you. I don't care if the ghost of J. Edgar Hoover comes to you personally and tells you to come in to the office, stay with them. I need you to guard Jack. Hotch hasn't called in, and someone's been asking about his son's time at daycare." Reid used every bit of authority he could muster to back his statement.

Kevin kissed Garcia on the cheek and started out the door as Anderson said, "Yes, sir."

Reid nodded them out the door and turned to Garcia. "He's over an hour late for check-in. Start trying his alternate numbers while I look at our current suspect list. I know our unsub is on it."

"Before you go…" Garcia sounded nervous. "Should I tell the team?"

Reid thought a moment. "It would be a pity if you let it slip to JJ," he said pointedly.

Her mouth quirked in a near smile. "Of course. Now get our leader back, my genius."

***  
When McPike arrived, he sat down with a cup of coffee and reviewed a file Reid had prepared for him.

"How did you whittle down this list?"

Reid looked up from his file. "We know he has to have someplace to take the victims where they won't be heard. It argues local knowledge, so we started by eliminating all the people affiliated with the law school or graduate school who came from outside the region. Geographic profiling of the attacks are why we're concentrating on the law school first and the graduate school secondarily. The undergraduate areas of the campus haven't had an incident. Garcia's background checks pretty much wiped out the entire faculty, which is a relief. People who start when they're older are less likely to get caught."

McPike nodded. "Age may not bestow wisdom, but most of us learn patience."

"Our biggest problem is distance. In an urban center, we can predict comfort zones more easily. In the country, people might not think twice about driving fifty or more miles to something. We're pretty sure it's not a pair. We know it's someone comfortable with firearms, so we took off anyone who signed the anti-gun petition we circulated."

"_Did_ anyone sign it?"

"Very few." Reid gave a tired smile. "I have Garcia looking at summer jobs, work-study or current employment, and relatives up to second cousins. We may end up with a few people back on our list."

"Is there anyone who's currently on your list that you think, 'it's got to be that guy'?"

Reid looked away. "I rarely take an instant dislike to people. I may hate their actions, but with a few exceptions, I don't hate them."

"But…"

He passed McPike a photograph. "Jared Carter. The other students were more conservative than I'm used to being around, but they seemed open to argument. This guy -- wasn't. He was armored in certainty. And this is going to sound odd coming from an atheist, something about the way he mentioned God made want to wash his mouth out for blasphemy."

"Have you eaten, yet?"

"No."

"Well, we're going to take this guy to Ms Garcia and have her drill so deeply into his life we'll have his sonogram pictures. We'll also take her dinner order and bring it back to her when we come back from the cafeteria."

Reid went stubborn. "That doesn't help us find Hotch. And that has to be the least logical way of choosing whom we investigate more deeply that I've ever heard of."

"I was in the field before you were born. Food and a break can accomplish more than continuing to stare at files. I also know that hunches may not be logical, but when they're held by an experienced agent, like you, Doctor Reid, they can be accurate." McPike shook his head. "If Garcia doesn't find anything, then the most we've lost is half an hour, and you come back to it with a clear head and fresh eyes."

It took him a minute to agree, but Reid stood up and grabbed Carter's file. "Let's see what Garcia wants for dinner."

***  
JJ sighed as she looked over the whiteboard. The case was farther along than it had been, but there were elements missing from the profile. She had no doubt that if the team were at full strength, those elements would have been filled in by now. It wasn't that Reid and Hotch would have done anything differently; it was that the team was more than the sum of its parts. She picked up her phone to call Garcia.

"Put it on speaker," Morgan said.

She smiled at him and raised eyebrows at the cops in the room. "Let me warn her first."

"Oh, my genius, have you found Hotch yet?" were the first words out of Garcia's mouth. She thought she was doing the right thing, giving everyone plausible deniability and letting JJ know how things stood at the same time.

JJ was glad she'd turned her back on the rest of the room. "Understood, Pen. Morgan wants you on speaker, if you have our results."

"I do indeed, milady." She called up the information and waited for the change in noises that indicated she was broadcasting to everyone. "There was nothing special about the fertilizer, however …"

***  
The small margherita pizza and salad they brought back were greeted with a smile. "It smells wonderful. I got a call from Kevin. Will makes terrific macaroni and cheese, and Jack thinks it's great that he's allowed to have a sleepover."

"Any luck?" Reid was hesitant.

"Maybe. I didn't even need to dig that deeply. Jared Carter's family sent him to summer camp in West Virginia. He still works there as a counselor in the summer time, and he earns extra cash from them by being their handyman in the off-season. It's less than thirty miles and under an hour's drive from the Richard Henry Lee Campus to Sulphuretta Springs."

"Crossing state lines would make it our jurisdiction even if we hadn't been called in." Reid seemed to be talking to himself. "Who's JJ's contact in the West Virginia State Police? Does Sulphuretta Springs have a police department?"

"I'm way ahead of you, Doctor Smarty. The best route to Sulphuretta Springs would take him through the George Washington National Forest, and the camp's just on the edge of it, barely off Federal land. The town isn't even incorporated, but the county sheriff is waiting for your call. The Bureau office in Charleston is farther away than we are, so they've agreed to let us run anything that needs running, and the National Park service is ready to help, too." She was smiling with triumph.

"I'm glad we brought you dessert. It was the last piece." Reid handed her a slice of blackberry pie. "Now then, eat while I make these calls." He nodded to McPike and left her to her dinner.

"What do you want from me?"

Reid gestured at the files on the table. "Start going through the other five folders and see if anything jumps out at you. There's a chance Carter's not our guy, and I want your input for the next phase."

The older man nodded and sat down in Prentiss' chair.

***  
When the phone rang thirty minutes later, Reid nearly jumped to pick it up. The call hadn't lasted long.

"McPike, Sheriff Dickson of the Capon County Sheriff's office confirms that Jared Carter was seen in Sulphuretta Springs tonight. In addition, to the handy man's cabin, the National Park Service confirmed there was a heat signature corresponding to human body temperature in one of the more remote cabins on the camp property."

"If we go flying in there and it's some tramp taking refuge, Hotch might end up worse off," McPike said.

"I know." Reid shook his head. "I've gone through everything we know and every lead we had. The profile points to Carter as our unsub. I just wish I had more solid evidence."

"So do I, but I think it's enough for a warrant."

"Then I think we ask Strauss for the manpower to do this right. We need to coordinate with the locals and the Park Rangers, but my biggest fear, and based on the profile of our rapist-slash-killer I think it's a logical one, is that he's got traps set. He's bright. Getting caught is a loss, but this unsub is one of the ones who thinks a loss can be turned into a draw if he takes a lot of people with him."

"You're betting he'll try to suicide by cop?"

"Yes, but only if he can kill cops while he does it. I'm going to need people who can spot booby traps in the dark." Reid was making a mental list.

"Bomb squad?"

"If we can bring one with us." He looked at his watch. "No one from the school called us, so Hotch showed up to his classes this morning. Thursdays are office hours all afternoon, so he could have gone missing as early as one-thirty. It's eight now."

McPike said, "Why one-thirty? His calendar said his class would finish at twelve-thirty."

"He has lunch with Jack every day. We'd have heard about it from the daycare if he'd missed it. My question is whether Carter knows Hotch is undercover. If he does, Hotch may already be dead or dying. If we're lucky, he's just being tortured" Reid shook his head and started to walk away. "I'm going to talk to Strauss. If you're coming, get your Kevlar and find out from Garcia if we can get a chopper to the National Forest."

"Yes, sir. And I'll check a shotgun out of the armory while I'm at it."

***  
The locals had been surprised at the influx of FBI people, but they were cooperative. The owner of the camp had given her permission to allow the whole premises to be searched and provided Garcia with a detailed map of the grounds including trails, outhouses, and the small private cemetery on the land. Garcia used thermal imagery from satellites and maps of the town and national park in conjunction with it to help Reid and McPike put together the plan of assault.

When they got to Sulphuretta Springs, there were park rangers, state police, and sheriff's deputies waiting. Reid broke them up into groups each group taking one of the bomb squad personnel they'd brought with them along, and he, McPike, and the sheriff accompanied their bomb squad member down the most likely path to where the unsub was holding Hotch.

Reid knew he shouldn't feel relief when one of the other parties called in to say they'd found the first booby trap, but he did. It meant they had a good chance of finding Hotch.

The pace was slow. There were tripwires and a bear trap found as well as two small mines. Only a single tripwire had been uncovered so far on the path Reid and McPike were following. That might mean the unsub took it so often he didn't want to have to avoid traps, or it might mean they weren't on the path to Hotch.

Inch by inch it seemed they checked the pathway, until they arrived at the remotest unit in the camp. Reid checked quietly with Garcia and the bomb squad member of the team checked a handheld thermal imaging device. The middle cabin had at least one large heat signature inside it.

McPike whispered, "I hope it's Hotch and not Rocky the raccoon."

Reid gave him a quirked smile. He motioned for the sheriff and park rangers to check the other cabins from the outside, and sent the bomb squad representative to check out the door to the cabin. When she cleared it, he and McPike stood on either side of the door. Reid opened it, and McPike went through first with Reid on his heels.

Hotch was tied to a chair in shirtsleeves in the cold night air. His arms were cuffed behind his back and his feet were shackled to the front. Reid noted the car battery and jumper cables next to one of the steel beds. There was an empty syringe nearby.

McPike yelled. "Drop your weapon, FBI," just as Carter put a knife to Hotch's throat.

Carter looked directly at Reid and indicated McPike. "He's not going to shoot me. He'd kill Doctor Hotchner, and he doesn't want to do that. I know a little faggot like you doesn't have the guts to pull that trigger. So, what should I do? I really don't want to kill him. He takes pain so beautifully. Maybe I should castrate him? You'd hate that wouldn't you, Doctor Reid. He wouldn't be able to fuck you anymore."

"Hotch and I have never been lovers. Drop your weapon, Carter. You're lucky you're in West Virginia. There's no death penalty here."

"I knew you were a liar, Doctor Reid." Carter snorted in disgust. "I've seen how he looks at you. How you look at him. Why else would he be ordered out of the FBI? It's disgusting, the way you perverts display yourselves. And you deprived the FBI of a good man by turning him into another faggot like you."

"I don't know what you think you've seen Mister Carter, but Hotch is a friend of mine. Nothing more. Please put down your weapon and let him go."

Carter's arm tightened around Hotch's throat and the point of his knife pierced flesh.

McPike said, "Drop your weapon, scumbag," and Reid shot Carter through the head before he'd finished saying "no."

Reid knelt before Hotch. The angle had caused Carter to slump over him as he died, and Hotch said, "Get him off me please."

Reid touched his cheek. "Hotch, listen to me, there were booby traps around here. I need to have the bomb squad check out your chair in case there's a pressure plate before we can move the body off you."

Hotch nodded tightly, the revulsion clear on his face.

McPike leaned out of the cabin and called for the bomb squad and forensic personnel.

Reid continued as the chair and body were checked out, "Jack's with Will and Kevin. I've got Anderson acting as body guard."

"Jack's safe. Good. You came for me."

"Of course I did. You need to get Garcia something nice. She's been coordinating everything."

"For Italy, maybe."

The bomb squad officer nodded to Reid. "McPike, can you call a medic for Hotch. We can move him."

"Of course."

Reid went to the back of the chair and undid the handcuffs as the others got the body off Hotch. Hotch slumped forward, but Reid moved fast to catch him.

He felt Hotch's breath against his ear as he said, "I need to walk out of here. Even if it's just to a stretcher."

"I understand." Reid slung his arm around Hotch's shoulder and helped him to the door of the cabin. McPike and the medic were waiting, an ambulance had made it up through an emergency path at the back of the camp.

As Hotch was examined by one of the EMTs, Reid told the other one to note irregular heartbeats, possible dehydration, check for puncture wounds and drugs, as well as any signs of electrical wounding or side effects.

McPike pulled him aside and put Reid in with one of the sheriff's deputies. "I'll take over here. You look after your boy at the hospital. You did good, Agent Reid."

Reid nodded tightly and stepped into the car.

***  
_**Epilogue**_

Two days later, Reid returned to the BAU and the bullpen applauded. He gave Garcia the vanilla latte he'd brought for her and an envelope with two tickets to Wolf Trap for a band she liked and three handwritten coupons for her to cash for future favors.

The team had finished its case in Indianapolis, and the morning meeting held the after action report and assignments for paperwork and follow-up on how they'd caught the group who were planning to blow up the state capital building.

When the meeting was over, Morgan asked Reid to stay. "From what JJ told me and the reports I've read, your week's been as eventful as ours."

"It was."

"So, as your team leader, I'm supposed to tell you that McPike's report jibes with yours and the other people present and the Bureau considers it a good shooting. You'll have three mandated counseling sessions, and you can't do field work until I get the okay from the counselor."

Reid nodded. "Standard Operating Procedure. Is it all right if I take next week off? Since I still can't go into the field, I thought I'd take some time, maybe go see Mom."

"Unless Strauss thinks you need to stay around, that's fine. Just make sure you see the counselor. We miss you in the field." Morgan grinned. "My next question, is when does Hotch come back?"

"Mid-May."

Morgan's jaw dropped.

Reid continued, "They have a professor to cover the summer sessions and next fall, but Hotch has to finish teaching his course. It's not like Professor Hutson can commute from the UK."

"I hadn't realized. I just assumed the Chancellor had someone waiting in the wings for when the case was solved."

Reid said, "Frankly, even if they did, I'd recommend that Hotch be allowed to finish the class. With Haley's death, I think he needs time to recover. He would never have taken it without the case coming up. And after being kidnapped…"

"Still watching out for your boy? McPike says in his report that you're a top-notch handler."

"I'm glad. I just wish it had ended better."

Morgan clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Copy that, kid."

***  
Reid called ahead to let Hotch know he was bringing Chinese food. Jack greeted him at the door with a happy smile and a yell of "Spencer!"

Over dinner, they talked about Jack's day and what a good time he'd had with Will, Henry, and Anderson. A couple of games of Go Fish later, and Jack went to bed babbling happily.

Hotch came out after the ritual glass of water and one last story to find Reid cleaning up the kitchen. "You don't have to do that."

"You're still recovering."

Hotch nodded. He'd seemed distracted all evening. Finally, he blurted out, "About what Carter said…"

Reid looked at him and pulled the plug from the sink. "About my being a pervert?"

Hotch shook his head. "About the way I look at you."

"Hotch…"

"It's true. It has been for a long time."

Reid nodded. "For me too."

"You knew?"

"I couldn't be certain, and, at least when I first knew you, you were married. There are rules against making passes at married men."

Hotch sat down and continued to stare at Reid who dried his hands and knelt in front of him. "I'm going to Las Vegas next week. When I get back, can I bring pizza and come by here?"

Hotch rubbed the back of his hand against Reid's jaw. Reid turned his head and kissed the knuckles before taking his hand.

Hotch leaned in and kissed him hungrily. "You could stay here tonight."

"I wish I could, but there are all sorts of issues around my being your handler, you being my boss, the team, and… When I get back from Vegas on Thursday, we'll talk. If you'll let me, I'll stay on the couch so we can talk some more on Friday. And maybe, if we're both absolutely sure, I can stay over on Friday night and not sleep on the couch." Reid smiled at him hopefully.

"Can't we do some talking now?" Hotch asked.

Reid knelt up and framed Hotch's face in his hands. The kiss was slow and deep. "Talking, making out, whichever."

Hotch met his eyes. "A little of both tonight then. Call me while you're in Vegas, and Thursday night, I hope you'll choose not to sleep on the couch."

Reid nodded as he stood to go into the living room. He held out his hand to Hotch and said, "Let's talk."


End file.
